February 6th this week is the start of the Lenten season.  For many Christians, especially Catholics, this is the start of the 40 day period where you give up something meaningful, like junk food, bad habits, etc.  This year, I thought it might be interesting, and productive, to give up Facebook.  That's right, Facebook.  Why must all communication with people you haven't seen in years be done on this one website?  Whatever happened to regular e-mailing, or actual phone calling?  I see a lot of my classmates at lunch hour logging on to Facebook right away, and I would do that too sometimes.  I bet people were far more productive back in the days when there was no computer or internet around.  It's funny how software companies claim that their products actually increase personal productivity and time management.  I think what they should be saying is that their products increase convenience and promote laziness, so that you actually end up spending more time on the computer than you need to.  Lent this year is certainly going to be interesting.  This will also help to distinguish the real friends from those friends "of convenience".